Easiest Way To Restain Kitchen Cabinets – Do you want to know how to finish a wooden cabinet? You probably know that the “right” way to refinish a wood cabinet is to follow these steps: strip, sand, stain, polish. It seems like (and is!) a lot of work.
What are your options if you want to refinish wood cabinets but don’t have the time or energy to do all the work?
Easiest Way To Restain Kitchen Cabinets
This is the situation I am in. I wanted to renovate the wooden cabinets in the kitchen, but I didn’t want to live without a kitchen for a week while I waited for the end of the process. So I started researching ways to repurpose wooden shelves that don’t require all the time and effort. There are many possibilities. My first idea was to draw. I knew it would involve removing the door, sanding it all, priming, spray painting the door, painting the base with a brush, more sanding, more sanding, sanding and painting, and then putting it all back together. I don’t want to go through all this if I don’t have to. Also, winter is here and I won’t be able to spray the front door for at least 2 more months.
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I stumbled upon a product called Minwax PolyShades. They claim it can penetrate wood furniture with polyurethane paint.
To test this, you can take a cotton ball and dip it in acetone nail polish remover. Then place it in an inconspicuous place on the soiled furniture. If the tip is rubbery or the cotton swab is stuck to the stick, you cannot use Poly Shades. However, if nothing else, a wooden cabinet can be finished using PolyShades.
Yes, I tried it and to my delight nothing happened! So, I went out to buy the color I wanted. We wanted a very dark color so we settled on Tudor. Minwax also makes espresso paint, but couldn’t find it in the two stores we tried.
The cabinet is a light oak that was popular around the 90s. These are really very nice cabinets with a nice decorative molding on top and I know they have potential.
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Our first step is to wash the cabinet. We use Spike and Spawn because they are non-greasy cleaners that don’t require rinsing (when diluted with water). After cleaning it properly, let it dry, then start sanding.
Fortunately, Minwax recommends only light sanding before applying the stain. Yes already! So we used 220 grit sandpaper and sanded every surface. While doing this we noticed that the cabinet parts above the microwave were full of grease. Yuck. So Spike and Spawn and I cleaned up really well. Liquid sandpaper would also work, but we didn’t have it on hand.
After sanding the entire surface, we wipe it again with a wet cloth to remove all sanding dust. (In retrospect, we should also fill in all the cracks…live and learn, I guess.)
First, let me tell you how the preparation goes!? This is the kind of DIY I love because I always want quick gratification in my projects (and with three kids 4 and under, I don’t have seconds to waste).
Cabinet Color Change
I opened the stain and mixed it well with the paint. Then I use Pardi’s natural bristle brush to apply. Since it is a sheet made of polyester, it is a bit thick and sticky. This is very important to maintain a “wet finish”, which means you don’t drag the dry brush across the surface. This ensures even distribution of the stain. But make sure you don’t apply it too thickly! You should wear a very light coat, but make sure you are wet at all times. It takes some practice to get the right amount of stain on the brush.
I started by painting the door. I make the middle section lengthwise, with even strokes from top to bottom. So I went back and picked it up from underneath. The stain will stay wet for a minute or two, but will melt after that, so don’t overdo it. After the door front was complete, I ran the brush under and over the decorative edges of the box. Next, I brushed the outside of the door frame.
Here, see what you have done. Look at the spot where the stain began to drip. When applied too, it dries up and may not appear immediately. Don’t forget to check back! If you see a drop, open the brush.
After opening the door, I opened the door and opened the cabinet box. Always brush in the same direction as the blade and check frequently for drips.
Tips For Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets
Very weak right? Is it even darker? yes it is. But only a little. Now when I buy Minwax PolyShades I expect one or two coats to get me to the color in the can. I guess I was wrong.
So I lightly sanded it with steel wool, then cleaned and *vacuumed* it.
Well, a bit dark again. But that’s not what I want. I then let it dry again for 6+ hours and sanded with steel wool, cleaned it off and applied another coat.
At this point, I’m sure this item doesn’t apply to many such suits. It starts to thicken in the cracks. I can rub them on my nails and get the extra dirt and polish off, but the darkness in that area is still there. We were faithful though, so after 6+ hours I sanded it down again with steel wool, cleaned and gave it another coat.
Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets
And I’ll let you in on a little secret. I use an amazing camera filter on my photos that brightens everything, brightens the image.
It’s very dark! Not the dark I was looking for, but good enough! So I stopped at the four corners because my sanity and Minwax itself wouldn’t allow it anymore (starts to run into small cracks – don’t worry, next time I’ll shine).
I love how it turned out and love the darkness of the cabinet. As you can see, I also changed the drawer handles to pull out the cup holder. It gives the kitchen a small farmhouse style.
The best part of this job? It cost me $40 and includes new drawer pulls. Total cleaning cost? Under $20.
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So all in all I would call this project a success. The cabinet wasn’t as dark as I wanted, but I really like it and I’m glad it’s only 2 days and $40!
Thank you! I want to try it. But I want to tint the “orange” honey oak cabinet color. I hope I can achieve this with polyzones.
Hi Hailey! Unfortunately, wood cannot be lightened with polytones. The only way I can think of is to hide and ban him (which is a very long and difficult process). I’ve seen people discuss using white wax to lighten the wood, but I’m not sure if it works. Good morning!
Hi Lauren, are your cabinets solid wood? … or do they have panels on the side? Is that understandable? The cabinets I need to clean have incorrect wood centers on the doors. They are not solid wood.
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Hi Dana! They have a sideboard. But I only had two places where one side had to be cleaned (the top one by the sink) because the other cabinet ends were against the wall. They act like real wood because plywood is a product that is on top. I wish I could tell how the finish would show up over time on a bumped and washed bottom, but I don’t. Good morning!
Hello love!! When I did the acetone test it wasn’t tacky or sticky but I could scratch where I put the acetone..does that mean it didn’t work?
O Devin! I don’t know exactly and I don’t want to give wrong advice. If it were me, I’d find an inconspicuous spot and try it on a small section to see if it sticks. Good morning!
How about a tuxedo look using two complementary stains with the dark on the lower cabinet and the light on the top? Like Tudor and Honey Pine?
Upgrade For Builder Grade Cabinets
Thank you for the answer! i will finish
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